Tackling Cyberattacks in Aviation: What you should know

Most of the biggest airline companies have introduced state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions to defend against hackers. Cybercriminals have recently targeted various infrastructure industries like aviation and have gone for the weakest links to penetrate larger systems. The hackers were able to get hold of information on organizations’ infrastructure networks and their system controls. This has now turned into a major risk management challenge for an entire industry like aviation.

It is a big target for cybersabotage as they have a global and highly interconnected supply chain that have been getting digitized. More the digitization, more is the chance of attacks. The various links of big to small aviation supply chains have all become vulnerable for aerospace giants. Past infiltrations indicate the lack of knowledge can lead to disasters if proper precautions are not taken care. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed a set of industry-specific standards to tackle the cyber-loopholes.

To accomplish a unique unified cybersecurity and risk management strategy for the industry, the maintenance and repair overhaul providers should take stern actions. Companies in the industry must conduct independent audits of the existing cybersecurity programs. This should also include who and what has the access to a computer’s infrastructure. The real-time detection process and response mechanisms should also be validated if they are delineated. An oversight process should also be made to exist to ensure procedures are well followed and documented. The entire aviation industry must also develop a clear framework for managing and diminishing cyber attacks.